Alumni Network | Walk Together

Labyrinth Walk: Seek peace, and pursue it

An invitation for members of the University of Divinity Alumni Network to join an in person workshop hosted by alumna Christina Rowntree, to explore ways sacred encounter can support our university and church communities to ‘seek peace, and pursue it’ in these times.

Labyrinths have been used for hundreds of years as a way to practice meditation, prayer, and symbolic pilgrimage. A path, at first seeming straight and direct to a goal, in fact winds and wends towards and away – it can feel like the goal is lost, or we are lost.

In these times where armed conflict is widespread around the world, Australia has announced its intention to increase its defence funding from 55.5 billion in 2024 to 100 billion by 2034 (2024 National defence strategy, 2024 NDS). At the same time, our social skills and capacity to sit with differences of ideas and opinions from our own, or restore communication and relationship where this has broken down seem to have drastically lowered. The algorithms of our life are focused on directing us towards ‘rage bait’ rather than the mycellium of our shared human connection.To encounter Mystery, to engage in deep listening, to discover answers beyond our own individual ends and knowing, requires both our attention and faithful practice.

In this workshop Christina Rowntree (GDTheol, Yarra Theological Union) will talk about how walking a labyrinth can support us physically, emotionally, spiritually. The walk becomes a meatphor of a path that leads us to the centre, and brings us out again…to ourselves, community and Country. We will learn how contemplative practice remains relevant today to both ground and orientate us in our personal discipleship practice, professional development, faith communities, ministry/chaplaincy and clinical placements and other contexts as followers of Jesus in Australia to  “seek peace, and pursue it”.

University of Divinity alumni are invited to join this space of facilitated contemplative practice where we might journal, practice origami, or walk the Peace Labyrinth in the beautiful St Paschal’s Chapel in Box Hill together.

An Invitation to Walk Together

Naomi Wolfe, new Dean of Learning and Teaching at the University, invites alumni to join in a University-wide listening event. A session for alumni to participate in-person will be on the same day as the Labyrinth Walk on Tuesday 20 October. Further opportunities for online participation will be announced soon.

Naomi would love input from alumni who want to share their insights and reflections on the strategic direction of the University, she is particularly interested to hear:

• What are we doing particularly well?
• What should we protect?
• What makes teaching, learning or supporting students harder than it needs to be?
• Where do our students experience unnecessary friction?
• What do our staff need to do their work well?
• What opportunities are we missing?
• What should UD be doing differently over the next few years?
• And what haven’t I asked that you think I need to know?

Use the link above to register for the labyrinth and opt-in for this talk. If you want to come to just the talk (and not walk the labyrinth) please email Talitha Fraser, or to arrange another day or time please email Naomi Wolfe.

Thanks for your commitment to walking together.